2. That sin ariseth not unto this height ordinarily, but when it hath got a double advantage : —
(1 .) That it be provoked, enraged, and heightened by some great temptation. Though it be a poison in itself, yet, being inbred in nature, it grows not violently outrageous Avithout the contribution of some new poison of Satan unto it, in a suitable temptation. It was the advantage that Satan got against David, by a suitable temptation, that raised his lust to that rage and madness which it went forth unto in the business of Bath-sheba and Uriah. Though sin be always a fire in the bones, yet it flames not unless Satan come with his bellows to blow it up. And let any one in whom the law of sin ariseth to this height of rage seriously consider, and he may find out where the devil stands and puts in in the business.
(2.) It must be advantaged by some former entertainment and prevalency. Sin grows not to this height at its first assault. Had it not been suffered to make its entrance, had there not been some
208 THE NATURE AND POWER OF INDWELLING SIN.
yielding in tlie soul, this bad not come about. The great wisdom and security of the soul in dealing with indwelling sin is to put a violent stop unto its beginnings, its first motions and actings. Venture all on the first attempt. Die rather than yield one step unto it. If, through the deceit of sin, or the negligence of the soul, or its carnal confidence to give bounds to lust's actings at other seasons, it makes any entrance into the soul, and finds any entertainment, it gets strength and power, and insensibly ariseth to the frame under con- sideration. Thou liadst never had the experience of the fury of sin, if thou hadst not been content with some of its dalliances. Hadst thou not brought up this servant, this slave, delicately, it would not have now presumed beyond a son. Now, when the law of sin in any particular hath got this double advantage, — the furtherance of a vi- gorous temptation, and some prevalency formerly obtained, whereby it is let into the strengths of the soul, — it often riseth up to this frame whereof we speak.
8. We may see what accompanies this rage and madness, what are the properties of it, and what effects it produceth : —
(1.) There is in it the casting off, for a time at least, of the yoke, rule, and government of the Spirit and law of gi'ace. Where grace hath the dominion, it will never utterly be expelled from its throne, it will still keep its right and sovereignty; but its influences may for a season be intercepted, and its government be suspended, by the power of sin. Can we think that the law of grace had any actual influence of rule on the heart of David, when, upon the provocation received from Nabal, he was so hurried with the desire of self-revenge that he cried, "Gird on your swords,'' to his companions, and resolved not to leave alive one man of his whole household? 1 Sam. xxv. o^; or that Asa was in any better frame when he smote the prophet and put him in prison, that spake unto him in the name of the Lord? Sin in this case is like an untamed horse, which, having first cast off his rider, runs away with fierceness and rage. It first casts off a present sense of the yoke of Christ and the law of his grace, and then hurries the soul at its pleasure. Let us a little consider how this is done.
The seat and residence of grace is in the whole soul. It is in the inner man; it is in the mind, the will, and the affections: for the whole soul is renewed by it into the image of God, Eph. iv. 23, 24', and the whole man is a "new creature," 2 Cor. v. 17. And in all these doth it exert its power and efficacy. Its rule or dominion is the pursuit of its effectual working in all the faculties of the soul, as they are one united principle of moral and spiritual operations. So, then, the interrupting of its exercise, of its rule and power, by the law of sin, must consist in its contrary acting in and upon the faculties
CAPTIVATING POWER OF SIK 209
and affections of the soul, whereon and by which grace should exert its power and efficacy. And this it doth. It darkens the mind ; partly through innumerable vain prejudices and false reasonings, as we shall see Avhen we come to consider its deceitfulness; and partly through the steaming of the affections, heated with the noisome lusts that have laid hold on them. Hence that saving light that is in the mind is clouded and stifled, that it cannot put forth its transforming power to change the soul into the likeness of Christ discovered unto it, which is its proper work, Rom. xii. 2. The habitual inclination of the will to obedience, which is the next way of the working of the law of grace, is first weakened, then cast aside and rendered useless, by the continual solicitations of sin and temptation; so that tlie will first lets go its hold, and disputes whether it shall yield or no, and at last gives up itself to its adversary. And for the affections, com- monly the beginning of this evil is in them. They cross one another, and torture the soul with their impetuous violence. By this way is the rule of the laAv of grace intercepted by the law of sin, even by imposing upon it in the whole seat of its government. When this is done, it is sad work that sin will make in the soul. The apostle warns believers to take heed hereof, chap. vi. ]2, " Let not sin there- fore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts tliereof " Look to it that it get not the dominion, that it usurp not rule, no, not for a moment. It will labour to intrude itself imto the throne ; Avatch against it, or a woful state and condition lies at the door. This, then, accompanies this rage and madness of the law of sin : — It casts off, during its prevalency, the rule of the law of grace wholly; it speaks in the soul, but is not heard; it commands the contrary, but is not obeyed ; it cries out, " Do not this abominable thing which the Lord hateth," but is not regarded, — that is, not so far as to be able to put a present stop to the rage of sin, and to re- cover its own rule, which God in his own time restores to it by the power of his Spirit dwelling in us.